Israel-Iran war: What modifications did Israel add to F-35s that it used to attack Iran? These jets completed 4000 km round trip without mid-air refueling due to…
F-35I Adir (File)
Israel-Iran war: Israel used its F-35I Adir stealth fighter jets to conduct waves of lethal airstrikes deep inside Iran, and experts are stunned how these fuel-guzzling 5th-generation warplanes completed a nearly 4000 km-long round trip without the need for refueling. According to a media report, the F-35I Adir– the custom variant of Lockheed's F-35 Lightning-II operated by the Israeli air force– incorporates several modifications that extend its operational range without requiring mid-air refueling . What modifications were made to the Israeli F-35s?
Quoting two senior US officials on the condition of anonymity, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported that the F-35 which Israel used to attack Iran did not use mid-air refueling, nor land in any nearby country to refuel.
While the modifications added to Israel's F-35 fleet are highly-classified, the MEE report, citing US officials, said that the stealth fighters have been modified to carry additional fuel, allowing these warplanes to fly long missions without requiring a refuel.
The officials asserted that these custom modifications have not the affected the stealth capabilities of the F-35I Adir. Notably, Israel is the only country to fly a custom variant of the F-35. The US officials termed the F-35's performance in Iran a 'game changer', stating that the US had approved these modifications. 'This is a game changer. Israel had our cooperation in this modification.'
The F-35 is the world's only long-range stealth fighter aircraft, equipped with advanced stealth capabilities, which makes it highly difficult for radar systems to track. Israel-Iran war
Israel launched its fiercest attack on Iran, unleashing a wave of pre-dawn air strikes on Iranian cities on Friday, including capital Tehran, under Operation Rising Lion, in which several top Iranian nuclear scientists and military commanders, including IRGC chief Hossein Salami, commander Ghulam-Ali Rashid, nuclear scientist Dr. Mohammad Tehranchi, nuclear scientist Dr. Fereydoon Abbasi and Iran's Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri.
Tehran vowed to avenge the Israeli attack, stating that its response will be anything beyond what Israel and ally, the United States, could ever imagine, triggering the fears of a full-scale Iran-Israel war.
On the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, Iran responded with a barrage of missiles and drones that struck several Israeli cities and major population centers, including Tel Aviv. Israel launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran on Saturday, killing more of Iran's top military brass and nuclear scientists.
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